Spurs halt Thunder’s playoff streak in historic double-overtime Western Conference Finals opener

The San Antonio Spurs have taken a 1-0 lead in the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in double overtime on Monday night. The victory, secured at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, halted the Thunder’s nine-game playoff winning streak, which had extended back to Game 7 of the previous season.

Victor Wembanyama was the decisive factor for San Antonio, recording 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in 49 minutes of play. His performance established him as the youngest player in NBA history to record a 40-point, 20-rebound game in the playoffs. Wembanyama joined David Robinson as the only players in Spurs history to achieve this statistical feat in the playoffs.

The game marked the first double-overtime contest in the Western Conference Finals since 1976. Wembanyama became the first player since Charles Barkley in 1993 to record a 40-point, 20-rebound game in the conference finals. He also joined Shaquille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players with at least 40 points, 20 rebounds, and three blocks in the conference finals or later, noting that blocks became an official statistic in the 1973-74 season.

Statistical analysis from the Elias Sports Bureau highlights a generational shift, with the combined average age of the two teams' players weighted for playing time standing at 25.5, the youngest in conference finals history since 1970. San Antonio advanced to this stage by sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round and defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games. The Thunder had not lost a single game in the first two rounds of the playoffs prior to this series.

The Spurs are now three wins away from their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2014. Wembanyama, who set new playoff career-highs in scoring, rebounds, and minutes, emphasised the need for continued focus. "It might be a long series," Wembanyama said. "Winning one game means something, but it doesn't mean everything."